Because of corona they had to wait two years, but now it will really happen. This weekend, Fijnaart will be dominated by ‘War Winter, the Musical’. “This is such a beautiful story, with such emotional moments”, says proud director Jan Willem van Bodegom with a lump in his throat.
“I don’t keep it dry every rehearsal, so let alone what the performance will do to the people,” says Jan Willem. The musical War Winter is organized by the Oranjevaan music association and the Cultuur Fijnaart Foundation. The piece is based on the book of the same name by Jan Terlouw from 1972.
“We will conduct the executions with as much integrity as possible.”
The exciting and moving story is about the 15-year-old mayor’s son Michiel van Beusekom, played by Lukas Broos from Roosendaal. His quiet life changes completely when he becomes involved in illegal activities in the winter of 1944-1945. “There are very beautiful songs in the musical, but also violent events. Such as the execution of Michiel’s father, the notary and the pastor. We try to bring this as honest as possible.”
The open-air spectacle will be performed at the event site in Fijnaart. More than two hundred people from, among others, the municipality of Moerdijk are working on it. One hundred of those musicians, singers and actors will be on stage for three evenings from Friday. Every evening 1,100 visitors can watch the performance from three covered stands.
“A horse flees from the Germans.”
Set builders have worked hard in recent weeks to recreate part of the fictional village De Vlank. Jan Willem: “It will be a very big spectacle. We have war vehicles coming up and even a horse and carriage running from the Germans.”
In the book and the movie, a plane also crashes at the beginning. The musical makers have also found something for that. “That is something very spectacular, but of course I won’t reveal what it is. People just have to come and see that.”
“I’ll be on the podium crying soon.”
The director is especially proud of his actors and would like to mention a few names besides Lukas: Ton Santbergen from Zevenbergen (father of Michiel and mayor), Lotte Remus from Zevenbergen (mother of Michiel), Marlies van Beers from Willemstad (sister of Michiel ) and Seth van der meer from Fijnaart (Michiel’s brother).
“We are a big family and we certainly hug each other after the show. It is so wonderful that we have achieved this,” says Jan Willem. “You must see me Friday night. Then I’ll be on the podium crying.”
“Now please let Ukraine be the last war.”
Whether Jan Terlouw will also come and see the musical himself? Jan Willem smiles, but does not want to say much about it yet. “We are in contact with him and hope he will come by. With the performance we really try to do justice to his book. It is a beautiful story about the hope for peace. The hope that one day we will be out of all those wars. We are now back in the middle with Ukraine. Now please let this be the last.”
People who still want a ticket for the musical should be quick, because the performances are almost sold out. Tickets are available at www.warswinterfijnaart.nl†
